Long Parliament

The Long Parliament was the session of the English Parliament which lasted from 1640 to 1660. The Parliament was called into session by King Charles I of England with the objective of levying new taxes to fund his war against the rebellious Scottish Covenanters, but this new Parliament, unlike the previous Short Parliament, was unafraid to challenge the King's authority, passing a law which stipulated that the Parliament could only be dismissed with agreement of the members. The Parliament was dominated by republican Puritans, who formed the "Parliamentarian" faction in opposition to the supporters of royal supremacy, the "Royalists". On 4 January 1642, King Charles ordered that MPs John Pym, John Hampden, Denzil Holles, William Strode, and Arthur Haselrig be arrested for planning to impeach Queen Henrietta Maria for alleged involvement in Catholic plots. However, Speaker William Lenthall refused to give away their location, proclaiming, "I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as this House is pleased to direct me." Charles left London on 10 January 1642, fearing for his safety as the country was pushed to the brink of civil war; most royalist MPs joined him in departing. He then declared Parliament in rebellion and began raising an army, setting up a royalist court at Oxford. On 5 March 1642, the Parliament formed its own militias, and the English Civil War soon followed as the Parliamentarians and Royalists fought for ten years over the leadership and government of the country. In 1645, the Parliament removed all MPs from military commands and instead formed the "New Model Army", a united Parliamentarian force, which destroyed the King's army and forced Charles to surrender in 1646, ending the First English Civil War. In 1647, Charles escaped and formed a secret alliance with the Scots in order to launch a royalist uprising, but the Second English Civil War of 1648 was quickly decided. On 1 December 1648, the House voted 129-83 to restore the King with limited powers, but, on 7 December, radical Parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell and Henry Ireton led "Pride's Purge" against 41 members of Parliament, including many Presbyterians, who sought to make Presbyterianism the new state religion. The Rump Parliament then established the English Commonwealth, abolishing the monarchy, and King Charles was executed for high treason in 1649. When, in 1653, the Parliament decided to perpetuate itself rather than hold new elections, Cromwell had the Parliament dissolved, and it was not recalled until 7 May 1659, when Richard Cromwell was overthrown in an officers' coup. General George Monck then recalled the Parliament, which voted to allow The Restoration and the dissolution of the Long Parliament, resulting in the restoration of King Charles II of England to the throne.